“And whatever you ask in prayer you will receive if you have faith.” Matthew 21:22 ESV)
Christmas time is a time for love, the love of a newborn baby laying in a manger in Bethlehem. Strangers brought gifts to the newborn King. From that has evolved the tradition of giving gifts at Christmas as an expression of love and appreciation for family and friends. As parents, we love giving presents to our children at Christmas. The folk-lore of Santa Claus helps to add excitement and anticipation to Christmas for small children. Young children love getting gifts and presents from Santa Claus. For many children, sitting on Santa’s knee and telling him what they want for Christmas is a real joy.
Johnny’s Sunday School Class had been reading and studying about faith and prayer. Now Johnny desperately wanted a red wagon for Christmas. All of Johnny’s friends were writing letters to Santa. But this year, Johnny decided to go one better. He wrote a letter to God. He took out a sheet of paper and wrote; “Dear God, I would like to have a red wagon for Christmas. Every night, when I go to bed, I say my prayers. I have been praying for a red wagon. I know you answer prayers, my Sunday School teacher told me so. Thank you, Johnny.” After he had written his letter to God, he discovered he had a problem. In the years past, he had always given his letter to Santa to his mother, but he wasn’t sure how to deliver a letter to God. The next Sunday the family went to Church. After the service, Johnny told his mother, “Wait a minute.” He then ran to the front of the church and put his letter to God on the altar. When he got back, his mother asked where he had gone. Johnny answered, “I had to deliver a letter.” A few days later, Johnny’s mother asked if he was going to write a letter to Santa? Johnny responded, “No, I don’t need to,” and went out to play.
Several weeks later, Christmas arrived. The family opened the presents they had given each other on Christmas Eve, as was their custom. They saved the excitement of Christmas Morning for what Santa had delivered. Johnny’s brother and sister were up early. Their mother asked, “Where is Johnny?” His sister said, “He’s still in bed.” Johnny’s mother went and woke him up. She asked him, “Don’t you want to see what ‘Santa brought you?” Johnny responded, “Ok, but I already know.” His mother asked, “How do you know?” and Johnny responded, “I prayed for what
I wanted and God always answers prayers.”
The family all went downstairs together, and there beside the Christmas tree was a bright, shiny, red wagon with a note on it that read, “Johnny. Whatever you ask in prayer you shall receive, if you have faith. Love, G.
What got Johnny his red wagon? Was its prayer? God? Or was it the absolute faith of a child?
Was it his letter to the answer is YES?
When you pray and ask God for something, do you really believe He will respond to your request to the very depths of your heart? God answers prayers in His own way and His own time. It is not always the way we expect or the way we want it. Sometimes, the answer to prayer is God not responding at all. When you ask God for something, and He does not respond, try asking yourself, “why?” However, He responds or does not respond, there is always a reason. Sometimes we have to stop being self-centered and asking for earthly things we want and try asking that God show us His will for us, and then be willing to follow His will.
When you pray, are you praying for the self-centered, materialistic things you want, or are you praying for things that will bring you closer to God?
Prayer always brings you closer to God but being closer to God means He expects us to do a better job of obeying Him and living a Christ-like life. Prayer, a closer relationship with God, and being more Christlike in our life are all things that God wants to see from us.